Mai ling-machine



{No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

'S. B. WHITESIDE.

, MAILING MACHINE.

No. 446,495. Patented-Feb. 17, 1891.

llniiinn Srnrns Parana warren,

SIDNEY B. WHITESIDE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

MAILING WlACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,495, dated February17, 18891. Application filed December 5, 1889, Serial No. 332,686. (Nomodel.)

To (LZZ LUYLOIJL it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIDNEYB. Wmrnsrnn, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city and in the county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMailing-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of said invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it most nearly appertains to make,use, and practice the same.

My invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in whatI term mailing or labeling machines; and itconsists of the parts anddetails of construction, as will be hereinafter more fully shown in thedrawings, described, and pointed out the specification.

My invention consists in certain combinations of parts whereby a stampor label from a strip or roll can be automatically moistened, placed inposition, and cut from said strip or roll.

A description of the apparatus and of the operation by which theforegoing is accomplished will be more fully set forth in a subsequentpart of this specification; and my invention further consists inproviding means whereby the stamp or label will receive during itstravel in the machine sufficient moisture to cause it to adhere, and,further, to the means whereby the same will be cut apart at the properpoint, so as to cause the separation of one stamp or label from theother.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of this specification, inwhich like letters of reference are used to denote corresponding partsthroughout the entire specification and several views of the drawings-Figure l is a perspective view of the complete machine; Fig. 2, a viewshowing one side thereof removed for the purpose of illustrating morefully the relative position of the operating mechanism; Fig. 3, a detailview of the stamp-roller; Fig. 4, a bottom plan view of the machine;Fig. 5, a sectional view; Fig. 6, a detail view of the open-workrevolving, carrying, and breaking sleeve; Fig. 7, a detail view showingthe stationary drum, around which the aforesaid carrying-sleeverevolves; Fig. 8, a similar view of the stamp cutter or separator; Fig.9, a detail view of the lower guide, and Fig. 10 a similar view of theupper guide.

The letter A indicates the ordinary handle of the machine, which hasextending forward therefrom the metallic sides or covers B. Theoperating mechanism of the machine is socured between the two sides.

The letter 0 represents the stamp holder or reel, which is journaled orworks upon the shaft 0, which has its bearing within the standards oruprights a. Secured to the rear of the metallic holder is theupwardly-extendin g curved spring (Y, which is adapted to press or beardownwardly upon the roll of stamps on the reel 0.

D is the main or driving roller, which has its bearings in the metallicside covers, one end of which is provided with the gear-wheel D.Thisroller is by preference constructed of hard rubber and is providedwith guideways cl.

E is the stationary drum, suitably secured in bearings formed in saidsides, and upon this drum is secured the carrying and break ing sleeveE, which I term an open-work sleeve, and which for a portion of itstubular circumference is cut away, thus leaving the inclosed stationarydrum E exposed and allowing the carrying or feeding roller M to pressupon the stationary drum during the interval in which the said drum isexposed, but forcing said roller upward and revolving the same duringthe interval in which the solid portion of E rotates between the rollerM and the drum E. The said open-work sleeve is provided with thegear-wheel c, which meshes with the gear D, so as to be revolved by therotation of the latter, the length of the open-*work sleeve beingadapted to fit the length of the stamp or label to be out or separated.This stationary drum is also provided with the guideways similar tothose formed in the main roller D. Located between and below the mainroller and the stationary drum is the guide-rollcr F, which is alsoprovided with the guideways f and the outer geanwheelf. This gearextends over partly upon the face of gear D, and meshes with gear 6 ofthe carrying-sleeve, which is consid erably thicker than gear D for thispurpose.

The letter I-I indicates the felt moisteningroller, which is revolved bythe motion of the stamp in its descent. The said roller II is located tothe front of the guide-roller F, and is so situated that its surfacecomes in contact with the sponge ft of the water-reservoir K. which islocated below the stationary drum. The felt or moistening roller ll,like the rollers previously described, has for the purpose of receivingthe arms of the guides the guideways formed therein, as shown at h. Thewater-reservoi r K is held in position by means of the spring 7L2, saidspring forcing the mouth of the said reservoir K in contact with themoistening-roller.

The guides are indicated by means of the letters L L and the guide L issecured within the bearings formed in the sides by means of thecross-bars ll and fit snugly within the guideways formed in thestationary drum and open-work sleeve, while the curvedclownwardly-extending forks project beneath the sides, as shown in thedrawings. The portion of the guide-forks between the two cross-bars fitwithin the guideways formed in the felt roller H. The guide L is securedbetween the metallic side or covering by means of the cross-bar Zsecured within suitable bearings, and the -upwardly-extending prongs orforks m thereof fit within the guide grooves or ways formed in the mainroller, while the lower forks m rest within the guideways formed in theguide-roller F. Between these guides, as hereinafter explained, thestamp in itsdownward passage passes. As clearly shown in Fig. at of thedrawings, the surfaces of the felt and guide rollers are nearly incontact with each other, only sufficient space being left for thepassage of the stamp.

The stamp or carrying roller is indicated by the letter 'm, and issecured between the forwardly-extending arms m of the stamproller holderN. This holder is secured within the metallic frame by means of thecrossrodm and to the rear inner face of the frame is secured the curvedspring at, which presses tightly upon said frame, so as to hold thestamp-roller tightly against the surface of the stationary drum E, aswell as against the solid portion of the openwork sleeve E when saidsleeve rotates. The roller-frame is further provided with thedownwardly-extendin g shield or guard 0. In front of this shield andbelow the stamp-roller-is located the stamp cutter or separator O.

The operation of my machine is as follows: The reel 0, containing theroll of stamps or labels, each of which is perforated similar to theordinary stamp, so as to permit of ready separation, as shown in Fig. lof the drawings, is secured between the uprights a, and the free end ofthe roll is inserted by the hand between the surfaces of thestamp-roller and movable carrying open work sleeve, which rotates uponthe stationary drum. The forward movement of the machine causes therevolving of the main roller D, which in turn imparts motion to theopen-work sleeve E through the medium of the described gear secured uponthe end thereof, and the motion thereof rotates the guide and feltrollers. \Vith the movement of the revolving openwork sleeve the stampis carried forward and downward until the rear end of the said sleevereaches the stamp cutter or separator 0, when by reason of thestamp-rollerNand separator 0 being forced through the medium of thespring a tightly upon the surface of the stationary drum E the stamp orlabel is caused to break apart at the point weakened to permit suchbreaking. The second stamp or label is then in position (shown in dottedlines in Fig; 5) to be carried forward upon the return of the revolvingopen-work sleeve. The separated stamp or label is carried by the solidportion of the open -work revolving sleeve between the arms of theguides L L until it reaches the guide-roller, when it is held betweenthe surfaces of the felt and guide rollers, and is carried downwarduntil it is deposited upon the paper, envelope, or package. During thepassage of the stamp between the felt and guide rollers the mucilaginoussurface is moistened by the felt roller, which, as before stated, is incontinuous contact with the bibulous bottom of the water-reservoir. Thestam p is tightly pressed upon the envelope or package by means of themain roller D, which moves thereover. The distance traveled by the stampbetween the guides, guide, and felt or moistening rollers is equal toone revolution of the solid portion of the revolving open-work sleeveupon the stationary drum, so that by the time the stamp is about to bedischarged from off the lower guide-arms the sleeve is in position tograsp and carry downward another or second stamp, as clearly appears inFig. 5 of the drawings. The entire distance traversed by the stamp issufficient to allow of the forward movement of the machine for thedistance of about three inches. By a little practice and care beingexercised the operator can so adapt himself to the movement of themachine as to place the stamp at any desired place without fail.

\Vhen the machine is not in use, it is thrown to the position shown inFig. 4:, so as to allow the evaporation of the moisture from themoistening-roller.

I am aware that minor changes may be made in the construction hereinshown and described without necessitating a departure from the natureand scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure protection in by Letters Patent of the United States, is'

In a mailing, stamping, or labeling machine, the combination, with theouter casing thereof, of the operating mechanism for carrying the stamp,water-reservoir, and the felt roller adapted to contact with thebibulous bottom of the water-reservoir for the purpose IIO of receivingmoisture and automatically moist- I the main rollerD, whereby the stampor label is placed in position, substantially as set forth anddescribed.

2. In a mailing, stamping, or labeling machine, the combination, withthe operating mechanism thereof, of the stamp-roller located above andadapted to contactwith the stationary drum, the frame for holding saidroller in position, the spring secured to the casing and adapted to bearupon the rollerframe for the purpose of maintaining the stamp-rollertightly against the surface of the stationary drum and the closedportion of the revolving open-work sleeve, and the open-work revolvingsleeve and stationary drum, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

In a mailing, stamping, or labeling machine, the combination, with theoperating mechanism thereof, of the stamp-roller and movable frame,revolving open-work sleeve Working upon the stationary drum and feedingat fixed intervals, stamp cutter or separator located below thestamp-roller frame, the n1oistening-roller for automatically moisteningthe stamp during its travel through the machine, and the stationarydrum, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a stamping, mailing, or labeling machine, the combination, withthe operating mechanism thereof, of the stamp-roller, stationary drum,and revolving open-work sleeve working thereon and adapted to grasp andcarry the stamp between the arms of the guides during the downwardmovement of the solid portion of said sleeve and with the saidter-reservoir pivoted therein, spring for holding the reservoir incontact with the moistening-roller, the 1noistening-roller for receivingand imparting moisture to the stamp during its passage between the feltand guide roller, and the guides, the guide-roller, and felt roller,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. The combination, in a mailing, stamping, or labeling machine, of therotating and carrying open-work sleeve, stationary drum upon which thesaid sleeve works, stamp-roller, and the cutter or separator for cuttingapart the stamps during travel, substantially as an d for the purposeset forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

SIDNEY B. WHITESIDE.

In presence of- N. A. ACKER, 3'. II. BLoon.

